Matt Damon Reveals How Faithful Christopher Nolan’s THE ODYSSEY Is to Homer’s Epic

Matt Damon is setting expectations straight for Christopher Nolan’s highly anticipated adaptation of The Odyssey. In a new interview with Empire, the actor opened up about how closely Nolan’s screenplay sticks to Homer’s legendary poem and just how massive the production really was.

Damon revealed that Nolan’s The Odyssey follows the core structure of the original tale, chronicling Odysseus’ perilous journey home after the Trojan War.

The movie apparently doesn’t shy away from the poem’s most iconic moments. Damon confirmed that the story features the Trojan horse, the deadly Sirens, and the terrifying Cyclops, saying, “If it says you’re running for your life from a Cyclops, you’re going to run for your life.”

The actor also shared a wild moment from the shoot involving a full-scale Trojan horse that the crew actually built for the film.

“I saw the horse on the beach and I was just like, ‘F—.’ It was just so cool,” Damon said. The scene was filmed soon after, with Nolan taking his usual hands-on approach. When Damon asked, “How are you going to do it?” Nolan simply replied, “I don’t know. We’ll just get in there and figure it out.”

Damon went on to describe the film’s commitment to capturing the essence of Homer’s text. He mentioned that the script includes the iconic Sirens sequence, saying:

“If you’re going to have an existential crisis as you pass the Sirens and you’re lashed to a mast, it’s there.” He emphasized that every challenge Odysseus faces is depicted in detail, adding, “Chris doesn’t hide the ball.”

The movie’s production sounds as epic as the source material. Damon said filming took place across global locations and included massive open-water shoots, thousands of extras, and large-scale practical builds. According to Damon, the experience was “the best” of his career.